Leaping Arches

[namecipS]

I've had LED arches for the past 5 years.  I'm looking to venture in to pixel strips/bulbs/bullets this year.  Figured I'd start small and add on more each year.  So I'm starting with converting my leaping arches from LED to pixel strip.  Obviously there are tons of videos and references out there.  I watched many on youtube and decided on Matt Johnson's leaping arches.   I've got everything except the controller and power supply.  I ordered my pixel strip from Ray Wu.  https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/5m-DC12V-60leds-m-20pcs-ws2811-ic-meter-20pixels-led-digital-strip-IP68-waterproof-in-silicon/701799_1921783413.html   Since I'm not familiar with the controller's he's using, I haven't ordered any yet.

 

I'm building 5 of these arches.  Obviously I have many questions.  

What would be the best controller and power supply to use for these arches?

Will I need more than one controller?

If they are right next to each other, will I need to inject power somewhere?  At what distance would I need to inject power?

Let's start with those questions.  I'm sure some answers may lead to other questions, but that's my current issue.

 

Edited February 10, 2017 by namecipS

[Dennis Laff]

I have 6 archs like the Johnson type  50 pixels in each arch   I am using a Sandevices controller   E6804    4 universes and 1 350 watt 12 volt power supply   I run 2 archs off one universe  no power injection needed.

[Darryl Lambert]

I have 2 leaping arches ( Matt Johnsons design ) & 3 Firesticks. All 5 items have the same length pixel strips ( 60 LED's/meter, 3 meters long ) controlled with one pixlite16. No power injection but you can see a very slight color shift at the end of a couple of the strips, only with the white color. So I didn't bother to inject any power. 

[Santas Helper]

I built 4 of the same arches. using the pixel strips and AlphaPix 4 from Holiday Coro and a power supply from ebay. No power injection as they are grouped close together.

http://vid245.photobucket.com/albums/gg65/frightnight_photos/Toms videos/MOV09284_zpst6yaux8r.mp4

 

Edited February 17, 2017 by Santas Helper

[brichi]

Whats the advantage of using controllers like pixlite, alphapix and so on over the LOR pixie series? I now have 4 pixie4's and a 16 and they work greatt but the more I read around I see barely anyone uses them, why? is it because your locked pretty much to LOR world if you use them?

[Little_b]

Just out of curiosity, those of you using Pixel Strips in your arches, which way are they facing?  Do they point up, or just pulled through randomly, or does it even matter really?

 

3 hours ago, brichi said:

Whats the advantage of using controllers like pixlite, alphapix and so on over the LOR pixie series? I now have 4 pixie4's and a 16 and they work greatt but the more I read around I see barely anyone uses them, why? is it because your locked pretty much to LOR world if you use them?

I think, and at least in my case, the Pixie series is still fairly new as they just came out late last year.  Those of us who have been working with pixels for a while have a stock pile of other pixel controllers lying around already.  I bought a couple of Pixie controllers and plan on putting them to use this year for some of my smaller props.

[Darryl Lambert]

3 hours ago, brichi said:

Whats the advantage of using controllers like pixlite, alphapix and so on over the LOR pixie series? I now have 4 pixie4's and a 16 and they work greatt but the more I read around I see barely anyone uses them, why? is it because your locked pretty much to LOR world if you use them?

It use to be that LOR did not offer a smart pixel controller other than for there own products. Sandevice was one of the first to offer a reasonably priced controller. Thats why you see a lot  of users with them. Their pricing was higher for comparable products as well.  Now with LOR's introduction of the Pixcon16 the pricing is more in line with other controllers on the market. From what I've read about the Pixcon 16 you are not locked to LOR at all. It's like other E1.31 controllers & can be used with other software.

[uncledan]

2 minutes ago, Darryl Lambert said:

It use to be that LOR did not offer a smart pixel controller other than for there own products. Sandevice was one of the first to offer a reasonably priced controller. Thats why you see a lot  of users with them. Their pricing was higher for comparable products as well.  Now with LOR's introduction of the Pixcon16 the pricing is more in line with other controllers on the market. From what I've read about the Pixcon 16 you are not locked to LOR at all. It's like other E1.31 controllers & can be used with other software.

The Pixcon16 is in essence a Pixlite16.  Look at them side by side, see any similarities?

[Darryl Lambert]

2 minutes ago, uncledan said:

The Pixcon16 is in essence a Pixlite16.  Look at them side by side, see any similarities?

Now that you point it out, they are almost identical except the Pixlite 16 has a standard wired DMX output.

I should of seen that, considering I have a Pixlite16. 

[brichi]

6 hours ago, Little_b said:

 

I think, and at least in my case, the Pixie series is still fairly new as they just came out late last year.  Those of us who have been working with pixels for a while have a stock pile of other pixel controllers lying around already.  I bought a couple of Pixie controllers and plan on putting them to use this year for some of my smaller props.

 

ahhhhh that makes sense, I am brand new to this as of a few months ago so i did not know LOR pixies were new to market so that makes sense why most of the users have other controllers.... thank you guys!

[namecipS]

On 2/17/2017 at 0:24 PM, Santas Helper said:

I built 4 of the same arches. using the pixel strips and AlphaPix 4 from Holiday Coro and a power supply from ebay. No power injection as they are grouped close together.

http://vid245.photobucket.com/albums/gg65/frightnight_photos/Toms videos/MOV09284_zpst6yaux8r.mp4

 

Good to know.  Just waiting on my controller to arrive and then I can mock them up in the den and see what happens.

[brichi]

13 hours ago, Little_b said:

Just out of curiosity, those of you using Pixel Strips in your arches, which way are they facing?  Do they point up, or just pulled through randomly, or does it even matter really?

mine face up, pulled through and tied down so no matter what i do with the arches during stage the strips stay in place

[Santas Helper]

4 hours ago, brichi said:

mine face up, pulled through and tied down so no matter what i do with the arches during stage the strips stay in place

Yep, same here. Not sure what "during stage" means but during storage, they stay the same.  

[brichi]

Yes, storage. Lol


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[George Simmons]

6 hours ago, namecipS said:

Just waiting on my controller to arrive and then I can mock them up in the den and see what happens.

Wow.  And people call me heartless... 

Would you also mock them out in the yard?  Would you mock them to their face, or only when you're safely ensconced "up in the den"?

See what happens?  If they have any self-respect at all they'll simply refuse to light until you treat them kinder.